Our first day and night on Bohol was spent at the Bohol Bee Farm. From the airport, we hailed a van for 300 pesos to take us to our destination. Upon arrival, we were pleasantly surprised by our choice. Entering the Bee Farm, you are greeted by the "production" facilities where the souvenirs and goodies for purchase are made. You then pass the ice-cream shop and mini-store as you enter the check-in desk. Arriving at 8:30am, we were surprised to find that they had two rooms available for us, and we received an upgrade on one of the rooms. The rooms were $63 for the garden bungalow (that one was upgraded) and $84 for the ocean view suite.
The rooms are surrounded by herbs wherever you turn. My parents' room entrance was lined with cilantro and it was breathtaking every time I entered. Our room, on the second floor, overlooked the 4 mini-pools and the Philippine Sea in the distance. The rooms were spacious with a queen sized bed, twin bed (perfect for Rosemary), TV, large bathroom, and a large deck.
Our first order of business was food. We sat down for a delicious breakfast of all home-made and home-grown items. The Bee Farm has some of the best food in the Philippines. The dishes are authentic, creative and full of fresh produce.
The farm offered a number of things for our 20 month old to do, as well. We took a little "pool crawl" swimming in each of the four mini-pools, played on the see-saw and tire swings, and toured the grounds. For adult entertainment, there is a nice deck which provides an easy in snorkeling spot or refreshing place to take a dip.
Our one excursion on Panglao Island turned out to be a bit of a rip off and waste of time. We asked the hotel to arrange a car to take us to Hinagdanan Cave, which we read was an interesting geologic spot and possible swimming hole. The trip from the Bee Farm to the cave was about 7 minutes and the hotel arranged an 800 peso round trip fee. This trip should have been about 100 pesos, and I was extremely disappointed in the Bee Farm staff for arranging such an overpriced trip. The cave itself was nothing spectacular. It was big and beautiful with clean cool water, but a bit of a tourist trap. The caves in Anda were much less visited and much more unique. I would skip this cave and find a different one to explore if you have the time.
Aside form the disappointment in the cave, and a night of puking by our daughter, we were very pleased with our stay on Panglao Island, and especially the Bee Farm. It's vibe, amenities and location are idealic.
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